That is not the Raptors’ concern. With the absence of such a supernova wing player, the Raptors brought in Dominic McGuire on a non-guaranteed contract. He will likely make the team, in no small part because of the shift to small: You need a player that can plausibly run with those players on the wing and muscle up with them in the paint.

“I don’t think anybody’s going to stop Carmelo or LeBron,” Casey said. “But we’ve got some people who can stay in front of them and contain them and give some resistance.

“[McGuire] is a tough guy. He talks on defence. He takes pride in guarding his position. He’s a utility guy. A guy like that can have a long career in the league, doing that, guarding [shooting guards, small forwards or power forwards] and taking pride in it. He cannot play a whole game and come in and then … give us some valuable minutes.”

The SI Point Forward blog has had several positive tidbits about the Raptors recently. They just wrote an article listing the top minimum salary players in the league and our own (potentially) Dominic McGuire:

Dominic McGuire, Toronto Raptors
2012-2013 Salary: $992,680

There’s no way to sugarcoat this one: Dominic McGuire is an absolutely abysmal offensive player who hurts his team’s scoring efforts while on the floor. He makes Jared Jeffries look like a dominant finisher by comparison and has absolutely no range. He works the offensive glass relatively well and does a better job with the ball than you might expect, but his inability to provide any sort of offensive threat makes it remarkably difficult to for coaches to include him in typical lineups.

He’s a role player who can be far more trouble than he’s worth, and yet his defensive versatility is alluring enough to warrant a roster spot and some consideration. He’s that capable, if only on one side of the ball. But if players across the league can get by as competent scorers but miserable defenders, why can’t McGuire find his way as an atrocious offensive player with a dynamic defensive game? Players with McGuire’s size (6-foot-9), mobility and instincts are hard to come by, and though the jury’s still out on whether he could take on a bigger role in the right setting, it’d be fascinating to see a curious coach someday give him a try.

The SI Point Forward blog has had several positive tidbits about the Raptors recently. They just wrote an article listing the top minimum salary players in the league and our own (potentially) Dominic McGuire:

I've been very surprised by McGuire in limited minutes on the offensive end. He can leap and finish with authority. He has had a couple of nice passes. If you remember and accept what he is, he is a very valuable player in my opinion.

I've been very surprised by McGuire in limited minutes on the offensive end. He can leap and finish with authority. He has had a couple of nice passes. If you remember and accept what he is, he is a very valuable player in my opinion.

He could be a true lockdown defender version of J.Johnson, who actually knows/accepts his role and doesn't try to force a non-existent offensive game. I would be quite happy with that out of a 11-15th man on the roster.

He could be a true lockdown defender version of J.Johnson, who actually knows/accepts his role and doesn't try to force a non-existent offensive game. I would be quite happy with that out of a 11-15th man on the roster.

Yeah, I've been meaning to make a thread about that very topic. McGuire is exactly what the Raptors wanted JJ to be. It seems (read: speculation on my part) that he thought he could contribute more. Clearly Casey (and eventually the front office) thought different. The lack of talent on previous rosters probably made JJ feel he was better than he actually was relative to the league.

Anyways, that is just my opinion. To all the JJ fans know I picked him in a fantasy league!

Sactown is the worst team in the league? with T-Rob, Cousins, Tyreke, and Thornton? They've got very decent core pieces, not much less than we have. They're just younger and play in the West. I don't think they're the worst team.

Sactown is the worst team in the league? with T-Rob, Cousins, Tyreke, and Thornton? They've got very decent core pieces, not much less than we have. They're just younger and play in the West. I don't think they're the worst team.